VEGAS follows you home (15 page)

Around one in the afternoon, sounds of dresser drawers, doors, and water running echo down the hall from Olivia's room. Taking that as my cue, I put away my laptop and papers so I, too, can get dressed for the trip to the hospital.

I strip out of my clothes and pile them at the end of the guest room bed. While I wait for the water to turn off in Olivia's bathroom, I pull out a pair of dark jeans and a blue, striped V-neck sweater.

The shower quiets and my imagination runs wild, picturing her long, lean leg slowly slipping out. Still wet and flush from the warm water, tiny goose bumps covering her skin from the change in temperature. As if in slow motion, the rest of her abandons the steamy shower.

"Momma!" Alex calls, jerking me from my fantasy. "Momma!"

The squeak of his mattress hopping brings a smile to my face, but makes my chest ache.

She doesn't want him to call me dad, but once this test is complete and he's proven to be mine, it will be the end of that demand.
How I long to hear dad fall from his perfect little mouth.

Emerging from the spare bedroom, showered, shaved, dried, and dressed, I watch Olivia buzz around the apartment, gathering different items into a blue backpack.

"Bye, bye." Alex's words draw my attention to him playing on the floor.

His bright eyes are on me. A smile deepens the dimples on each of his cheeks.

I smile back before turning my attention to Olivia.

"Is there any way I can help?"

"No thanks. You would just get in my way." She slips the backpack on before grabbing a folded up stroller hanging on a hook by the door. "We need to get going in order to make it to the bus stop in time."

"Bus stop?" I ask.

"Yeah, I don't have a personal car." She shrugs.

"I have a car," I state, putting on my jacket and taking the keys from the pocket.

"You don't have to drive."

"We're taking the car. Stop being stubborn."

Taking a couple steps, I reach down and pick Alex up. Olivia quickly appears, taking him from me.

"I wish you wouldn't be so worried about me touching him. I'm not going to hurt him. Ever."

"He needs his coat," she snaps.

Olivia opens a closet and pulls out a small green coat. With the door open, I can see a car seat stored on the floor just inside. In two quick strides, I'm at the door, pulling the seat out. Her head snaps to me, watching my actions.

"I'll just go install the seat and warm the car."

Without giving her a chance to say anything else, I walk out the door. Commotion from the stairs draws my attention and I quickly go to them.

"Here, let me take that." I grab the stroller and bag from her full arms.

She tenses for a moment, but allows me to take the items. While I load the things into the back, she buckles Alex into his seat.

"You ready to go bye-byes?" Olivia coos.

"Bye, bye," Alex giggles, opening and closing his fist at Olivia and then me. She laughs. My heart thunders behind my ribs.
I can't wait to have this all the time, every day.
I shift my eyes to Olivia, who's climbing into the passenger seat.
There is no stopping me after this test. Not when it will irrefutably tell her Alex is my son and both of them are mine — till death do us part.

Arriving at the hospital, Olivia quickly exits the car and gets Alex from the backseat. I climb out and retrieve the backpack.

"Do we need the stroller?" I ask Olivia over the roof of the car.

She shakes her head. "I don't think so."

Once inside, we're instructed to follow a yellow line on the floor leading to the lab.

Reaching the small lab waiting room, a nurse pages Dr. Fillman, registers us, and secures plastic hospital bands around both my and Alex’s wrist.

Sitting in the empty room, silence looms, like we're awaiting execution. Olivia's foot shakes, nervously. Her cheek is pressed to the top of Alex's head as he sits calmly in her lap and her fingers twist together in painful looking contortions.

"Are you okay?" I ask just above a whisper.

Her head lifts, revealing watery eyes.

"He's going to cry." She takes a deep breath. "I hate that part."

Frowning, I hadn't thought about Alex's reaction to the needle.

"Mr. Knyght?" A large, round man in green scrubs stands in a doorway across from us, his hand out in greeting.

"Dr. Fillman?" I ask, standing and taking his hand as he nods.

"You're the image of your mother, aren't you?" He grins large, his eyes twinkling.

Feeling uncomfortable by the comparison, I clear my throat. I'm well aware of the resemblance I hold to my mother, but I strive to be nothing like the cold, meddlesome, overbearing monarch in my family.

Dr. Fillman holds a door open. "This way, please."

Olivia follows the doctor and I follow her and Alex. Once in the cream and pale green room, I see syringes lying on the counter.

"Dr. Fillman?" I wait until he looks at me. "Is it possible to do the mouth swab test without the blood testing? It would still be an accurate result, correct?"

He nods.

"Yes, if that's what you prefer. Your father stated—"

"Dr. Knyght is nothing if not thorough," I chuckle.

The doctor grins and nods in agreement.

"I think, for Alex's sake, we should just do the swabbing."

"Of course." Dr. Fillman turns back to the counter and begins pulling out three plastic baggies.

I glance to Olivia and my heart skips about five beats. The smile she is giving me warms my chest. When she mouths, “Thank you,” I want to press my lips to hers.

The snap of plastic pulls both our attention back to the doctor. He approaches me with a long cotton swab in his latex gloved hand.

"Open up."

Resting his fingers against my face, he inserts the swab, rubbing firmly against the inside of my cheek and gum line. It's a bit uncomfortable, but there's no pain.

He pulls the swab out and slips it into a plastic tube. Sealing it in tight, he wraps a label around the tube and writes a few things on the side in dark red before stuffing the tube into one of the plastic baggies.

Dr. Fillman preps the next swab, tube, and changes his gloves.

"Next." He turns to Olivia. "Let's show this little guy how it's done, okay, Mommy?"

Olivia nods, opens her mouth, and goes through the same process I did moments before.

"Okay, we saved the best for last." The doctor smiles at Alex, who buries his face in Olivia's chest.

"You may want to hold his arms while I secure his chin. Most children don't like the swabbing, but it doesn't hurt."

Olivia nods.

"Hey there, big boy. Can you look at me and say ‘ahh’ really, really loud?"

Alex squirms in Olivia's arms, but she holds tight and Dr. Fillman is able to secure his chin. When the swabbing is complete, the doctor studies Alex for a moment.

"Who is questioning paternity?" His eyes land on me.

We both stay silent, but I can't keep my lips from curling up just a bit at the corners.

Olivia sighs and the doctor smiles and nods.

"He really is a perfect mixture of the both of you."

No longer fighting it, I grin wide. Olivia scowls.

"So, my father said it would take about two days for results?"

Dr. Fillman nods. "Yes, I'll put a rush on the lab work and get the preliminary results back as quickly as possible." He begins to chuckle. "Though, I don't think you should doubt he's your son, Damon."

"Oh, I don't," I say firmly.

The doctor's eyes widen and move to Olivia, who blushes.

"Oh," is the only response he provides before signing our release papers and saying his goodbyes.

"You still need the test?" I ask as we exit the lab.

"Shut up," she growls.

My smile remains until we are back in the car and on our way to the apartment.

"Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" I know I'm pushing it. After the stress of the day for her, I'm pretty sure the last thing she wants is to be out with me.

She gives her head a shake. "No, thank you."

"Olivia, please allow me to get you two something to eat. You need to eat."

"I need to get back to the shop." She keeps her eyes focused on the road before us.

Taking a deep breath, I try one more time.

"I realize you're upset, nervous, and mostly annoyed, but I'm only asking to get something to eat."

She remains silent as we stop at a red light. When she still shows no signs of responding, I turn in the opposite direction of the apartment.

"Where are you going?" she snaps. "I said I need to get back."

Turning in the front seat, she now faces me.

"You need to eat. I think we should go somewhere neutral to talk over dinner."

Keeping my eyes on the road, I continue to scout for a decent restaurant.

"Damon, don't do this. Not right now. Today has been emotional enough."

Parking at the curb in front of an Italian restaurant, I climb out and round the car quickly to open Olivia's door.

She just sits there, unmoving.

"Please?" I beg.

With a sigh, she exits the passenger seat. I move to the backseat, open the door, and get Alex from his seat.

"I can take him." She stretches her arms toward me.

"He's fine."

Her brow furrows as her arms slowly drop.

"I've got him. Quit acting like I’m going to harm him. I'm his father."

"I asked you not to—"

"When that test returns positive, and we both know it will, he will know I'm his father. I won't allow my son to grow up thinking he doesn't have one, no matter what you consider to be good enough reasons."

Before she can further argue, I start walking toward the restaurant. The sound of a slamming car door fills the air behind me before she catches up to us.

Once Alex is secured in a highchair, Olivia and I sit across from each other in a booth. Digging through the backpack, she pulls out some toys and lays them before him. A moment later, Alex starts banging plastic cars against the tray.

"Alex, honey, no, no." Olivia shakes her head, placing a hand on the one doing the banging. Like the good kid he is, he stops. Turning her attention to me, Olivia's face is lined with seriousness. "So, this is neutral territory, what do you want to discuss?"

"You know what we need to discuss."

"We've already covered quite a few things, so I'm not exactly sure what you want to talk about now." She rests against the back of the booth, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I want my name on his birth certificate once the results are back." Leaning forward, I bring my elbows to the table and fold my hands together. "With the confirmation, I can have my lawyers file the paperwork to update the document," I add before she can start protesting.

Just as Olivia's mouth pops open, the waitress arrives and requests drink orders. The minute the young girl walks away, Olivia snaps her head in my direction.

"No."

"Why?"

"You weren't even supposed to be…around. I was ensured confidentiality and anonymity. You've broken all of that. There isn't supposed to be a
you
in his life."

As soon as she finishes, I launch my counter argument.

"But I am around. So things have changed. And—"

The waitress returns with my iced tea and Olivia's water, requesting dinner orders. When she walks away once more, I continue before Olivia can interrupt.

"And I signed documents of confidentiality as well, assuming those same documents would ensure the safety of my sperm." Mimicking her position, I sit back in the booth, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I didn't ask for your…sperm. I requested an anonymous donor's profile," she snaps.

"Neither of us asked for the situation. However, it happened and I wish to be around."

"I didn't ask for you to be around."

"You married me." I smile, giving a one shoulder shrug.

"Under the influence," she blurts, a little too loudly.

"Regardless, I am Alex's father. I want to be a part of my son's life."

"You can be a part of his life, but that doesn't mean you get to be his father." Her voice drops to a hush.

"Why would you deny him a father?" Furrowing my brow, I search her face. I don’t understand why she is so determined to keep him from a father.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," she groans, covering her face with her hands.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe it
is
supposed to be like this?”